Apparatus for slitting expanded sheets



July 1, 1930. o. E. GIBSON 1,768,978

' APPARATUS magnum sx1= .mnnn sm-zm's Filed Jan. 5, 1929 I ZSheets-Sheet 1 i fnvnior' FIG] OL/l/EE 5.6/BJON ATTORNEY:

July 1, 1930. so l,' 768,978

APPARATUS FOR SLITTING EXPANDED SHEETS Filed Jan. 5, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet2 l jm mior I OL/ /ER .E .G/B6ON ATTORNEY! M ingly fed to sai l m-rm'rmj-Es f a'rsm omen:

OLIVER GIBSO N, OI CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TOI UNITED STATES GYPSUM COMPANY, 01' CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OFELINOIS APPARATUS FOR SLI'ITING EXPANDED SHEETS Application filedJanuary 5, 1929; Serial 1T0. 330,482.

This invention relates toganimproved apparatus for slittingexpandedmetal lath or fabric, such as is commonly used as a base or supportingmeans for plaster, stucco, 'etc., in

. theconstruction of buildings and other struc tures. 1

Expanded metal lath or fabric, ofthe char-;

acter herein referred'to, is usually constructed of sheet metal suitablyslitted and expanded to provide a reticulated surface, including meshportions connected by spaced-apart bonds substantially alined in ageneral direction of the fabric. When the metal is expanded theconnecting bonds usually assame angular positions relativel to themedial plane. of the fabric. In t e construction of building walls, andother structures where this type'of material may be used, it oftenbecomes desirable to slit fabric into narrower sheets or strips forconvenient use. i

Heretofore, it has been common practice to slit the fabric sheet acrossthe strands and bonds which results in leaving the sheets or as stripswith'the projecting ends of severed jstrandsand bonds. Y

The present invention provides an apparatus for slitting the fabricthrough 'alined bonds, whereby the severed edges of the fabso no will becomparatively smooth, thereby eliminatin sharp projections which resultwhen the onds cut transversely or diagonally. An object of the inventionis to provide an apparatus for slitting successively and substantiallyon median lines a row .of bonds that are substantially alined inageneral direction of the fabric, and thereby dividing the fabric lon'tudinally through its bonds with smooth edges and with no dividedmeshes or meshes having cut or severed strands or bonds.

ed upon a suitable sup ort, and angular-lyto t e medial plane ofdisposed relatively I 0 0 when the fabmc 1s grudthefabric whereb thesheets of and strands are slitted or and leaving t e expanded sheets orstrips vide an apparatus or machine consisting of'a disks, the cuttingedges.

thereof will successively engage and sever ahned bondssubstantiallyalong their median lines whereby the fabric will be divided intosections or strips havingcomparatively smooth undulated edges.

A further object is to provide an apparatus for slitting expanded metallath, comprising a plurality of slitting disks, means for feeding thefabric to said disks, means for guiding the fabric so as to cause thecutting edges of the disks to successively divide longitudinally alinedconnecting bonds, and means for firmly holding the fabric in contactwith the table of the apparatus adjacent to the cutting edges of thedisks, Whereby the fabric will be slit into sections havingcomparatively smooth edges free from projections.

1 The particular object of the invention, therefore, is to provide animproved apparatus for slitting expanded metal fabric;

Other objects of the invention will appear from the followingdescription and accompanying drawings and will be pointed out in theannexed claims.

In the accompanying drawings I have showna structure designed to carryout the various objects of the invention, but it is to be understoodthat the invention is not confined to the exact features shown asvariouschanges may-be made within the scope of the claims which follow.

In the accompanying part of this specification:

Figure 1 is an elevational view showing the general construction of theapparatus drawings forn'ung and the angular positions of the slittingdisks with. respect to the table upon which the material is fed;

Figure 2 is a detail sectional view on the line 2'2 ofFigure 1'; Figure3 is a plan view showing a portion of-an expanded metal indicating theplaces where-thefabric is to be slitted; and v Figure 4; is an-enlargeddetail view of the cutting line with respect to the medial plane of thesheet. I

Figs. 5, 6, and 7 show details. In'the selected embodiment of theapparasheet, the broken lines bers 2, as shown, and provide supports fora plate 6 which functions as a machine bed or table. This plate 6 has atransverse opening 7 therein located beneath the upper cross members 3,to provide clearance for the slitting disks 8 and 9, as shown inFigure 1. Guides 11 are adjustably secured to the plate 6 to providemeans for guiding the expanded metal sheet 12, as the latter is fedtowards the slitting disks. I Each pair of discs 8 and 9 haveoverlapping edges as shown and sever the metal by a shearing action. Thediscs may, therefore, be properly termed rotary shears. While I haveshown in the accompanying drawings, two pairs of these rotary shears, itwill be understood that any number of pairs of shears, one or more, maybe employed. and that these may be spaced to divide the fabric into.strips or sheets of any desired widths and strips or sheets of differentwidths may,

if preferred, be cut from the same sheet of fabric.

Expanded metal fabric such as here shown, has a reticulated surfacecomprising mesh portions formed by spaced apart bonds 13 and diagonalstrands 14. The bonds 13 are ordinarily substantially of double thewidth of the strands 14, as shown in Figures 3 and 4, and, because ofthe expansion of the slitted sheet the bonds are angularly disposed withres ect to the medial lane of the sheet as in icated by the line B, inFigure 4. To provide comparatively smooth edges for the severed sheetsor strips the material is sheared along the broken lines A, A, shown inFigure 2, which lines, it will be noted, pass longitudinally throughalined bonds 13 and substantially through the .centers of said pondsthus dividing the bonds on median mes.

When the bonds are thus severed, as indicated at 10 in Figure 3, theedges of the fab-- ric strips will correspond in appearance to the outeredges of the sheet and will be comparatively smooth and free from sharpproections.

To thus sever the reticulated sheet along alined bonds, the slittingdisks 8 and 9 are mounted at an angle, as shown'in Figure 1. Each diskis removably secured to a shaft 15 by means of a washer 16 and screw 17.The

- lower end of the shaft is supported in a beared engagement with thesleeve. In the drawings, two sets of slitting disks are shown, and,

as each disk an its associated parts are of' like construction, but onesuch mechanism will be described.

The upper end'of the shaft 15 is received in a bearing provided in thebracket 19, and has a bevel gear 22 terminally secured thereto whichmeshes with a pinion 23, slidably mounted upon a cross shaft 24, butprevented from relative rotation thereon by means of a feather key 20,shown in Figure 2. The lower pinions 23 are similarly mounted upon ashaft 25, rotatably mounted in suitable bearings provided upon the sideframe members 2-2.

Each bracket 19 is provided at its lower portion with oppositelyextending flanges 26 and at its upper portion with flanges 27. The lowerflanges 26 are engageable with the lower surfaces of the cross members3-3, as

shown in Figure 2. Plates 28 are preferably interposed between theflanges 27 and the upper surfaces of the cross members 33, and areadapted to be engaged by lock screws 29, received in threaded engagementwith the flanges 27. These screws act to lock the brackets 19 inadjusted positions upon the cross members 3. p

A curved guide finger 31 is secured to each of the upper brackets 19 bysuitable screws 32, and function to hold the expanded metal sheet orfabric firmly in contact with the plate 6, adjacent to the cutting edgesof the slitting disks 8 and 9, as shown in Figure 1. The pinions 23 arerotatably mounted in bearin s 33, here shown as bein integrally formedwith the brackets 19. 4 ach pinion 23 is retained in its complementarybearing 33by means of a nut 34, received in threaded engagement with thereduced end portion 35 thereof. Thus, it will be seen that the pinion 23and gear 22 associated with each shaft 15.

will be constantly retained in mesh with each other, regardless of themovement or adjustment of their supporting bracket 19.

The means provided for driving the shafts 24 and 25 is shown in Figure1, comprises a pinion 36 terminally secured to the upper shaft 24 andmeshing with a gear 37, rotatably mounted upon a stud 38, suitablysecured to one of the side frame members 2. The gear 37 is here shown ashaving a sprocket wheel 39 secured thereto, which has a chain 41connecting it with a similar sprocket 42, secured to a relativly largersprocket 43, keyed to the lower shaft 25. A drive chain 44 connects thesprocket 43 with a suitable drivin means, not shown.

In t e operation of'this novel apparatus, the sheet of reticulated orexpanded fabric to be slitted, is placed upon the plate or table 6against the guides 11, as shown in Figure.

1. The brackets 19 are then relatively adjusted upon the cross members3-3 to brin reference to Figures 1 and 4, it will be noted that thecutting edges of each pair of, slitting.

' i th disks are so positioned with respect medial plane of the sheet,that-theyw cessivelysever the. bonds13-aliiied therewith, substantiallyintermediately andlengthwise thereof, as indicated at 10 in Figure 3. It

will also be, noted that the cutting edges of the slitting disks 8 and 9lie in a plane indicated by the brokenlinieC-G, whichis at substantiallyright angles to the medial plane of the bonds to be severed, so that thesevered edges of the bonds engagedb the cutting edges of the disks, willbe su stantially at right angles to the opposite surfaces thereof. Theslitting disks 8 and 9"may be quickly adjusted upon their respectivecross members. 3'3, by simply loosening the lock screws 29 and shiftingthe positions of the brackets 19. The curved guide .fingers 31are'preferably supported upon the upper brackets 19 so that they aremovable therewith, and whereby it will not be necessary'to relativelyadjust these fingers each time the brackets 19 are adjusted .withrespect to one another. I

In the drawings, I have showntwo sets of slitting disks, but it is to beunderstood that I do not wish to limit myself to this particular.number, or to the particular details of construction shown as,obviously, any desired number of sets may be. used and also thestructure may be varied in numerous ways Without departing from thescope of the invention.

By the described the alined bonds are successively slit or dividedlongitudinally and substantially "along their center lines. This leaveseach section of the fabric at each edge with an outer row of completemeshes, the

edge strand of whichis substantially smooth and free from points orprojections Byv thus slitting the sheets none of the fabric meshes arecut or destroyed buteach sheet is divided into parts without loss ofany'of its meshes;

I claim as my-invention:

1. Means for dividing expanded diamond shaped mesh metal fabric whereinthe bonds connecting the strands forming the meshes are at an angle tothe plane of the fabric into separate sheets or strips comprising incombination, a supporting table over which the fabric may bemoved andguided, rotary shears havingshear blades mounted on' axes parallel tothe planes. of the bonds uniting the fabric meshes when the fabric issupported on said table and at an angle to the lane of the fabricsupport, said shear blades elng arranged at opposite sides of the fabricsupport, means for guiding said fabric in a direction longitudinal ofits meshes and directing-the bonds of an alined row successively totherotary shears, whereby the bonds of a selected alined row may be severedlongitudinally and on median lines thereof and each severed sheet orstrip will have at each edge a row of complete or uncut meshes.

2. Means for dividing expanded metal fabric into separate sheets orstrips having coinplete meshes at each longitudinal edge thereof,comprising in combination, a supporting table over which the fabric maybe moved and guided, rotary shears having shear blades mounted 011 axesinclined to the surface of the supporting table and one shear bladebeing arranged above and the other below said supporting table, meansfor rotatin said shears and means for guiding said fabric in a directionlongitudinally of its meshes and directing the bonds of an alined row tothe rotary shears, whereby the bonds of a selected alined ro'w may besevered longitudinally and on median lines thereof.

3. Means for dividing expanded metal fabric into separate sheets orstrips having complete meshes at each longitudinal edgethereof,-comprising in combination, a support over which the fabric maybe moved and guided, rotary shears having shear blades mounted on axesinclined to the surface of the fabric support with one shear blade aboveand the other below said support,

means engageable with the upper surface of the fabric adjacent to therotary shears to prevent buckling or bulging of the fabric, means forrotating said shears, and means for guiding said fabric in a directionlongitudinally of its meshes and directing the bonds of an alined row tothe rotary shears whereby the bonds of a selected alined row may besuccessively severed longitudinally and on median lines thereof.

4. Means for dividing expanded metal fabric into separate sheets orstrips, comprising in combination, a fabric support, one or more pairsof rotary shears having shear blades mounted on'axes inclined to thesurface of the fabric support, with one shear blade

